# Prolonged Survival in Primary Intimal Sarcoma of the Pulmonary Artery: A Rare Case Report

**Authors:** Nikoleta Stanitsa, Emmanouil Tempelis, Samiotis Ilias, Orestis Paliaroutas, Panagiotis Dedeilias

PMC · DOI: 10.7759/cureus.100292 · Cureus · 2025-12-28

## TL;DR

A rare case of pulmonary artery intimal sarcoma showed prolonged survival through early diagnosis and aggressive treatment.

## Contribution

This case report presents an unusually long survival duration in PAS through multimodal imaging and surgical intervention.

## Key findings

- The patient survived over five years despite metastatic progression of PAS.
- Multimodality imaging and early surgical resection improved diagnostic accuracy and outcomes.
- Aggressive surgical management was critical in prolonging survival.

## Abstract

Pulmonary artery intimal sarcoma (PAS) is an exceedingly rare malignant tumor that frequently mimics pulmonary embolism, leading to delays in diagnosis and treatment. We report the case of a 41-year-old woman who presented with progressive dyspnea and was initially treated for presumed pulmonary embolism. Advanced imaging revealed features suggestive of a primary pulmonary artery tumor, and she underwent surgical resection, confirming high-grade intimal sarcoma. Despite recurrence four years later requiring repeat surgery and eventual metastatic progression, the patient survived more than five years, substantially longer than typical outcomes reported for this malignancy. This case highlights the importance of early recognition, the diagnostic value of multimodality imaging, and the critical role of aggressive surgical management in improving survival in PAS.

## Linked entities

- **Diseases:** pulmonary embolism (MONDO:0005279)

## Full-text entities

- **Diseases:** malignancy (MESH:D009369), pulmonary embolism (MESH:D011655), PAS (MESH:D000071079), intimal sarcoma (MESH:D012509), dyspnea (MESH:D004417)
- **Species:** Homo sapiens (human, species) [taxon 9606]

## Full text

_Full body text omitted from this summary view._ Fetch the complete paper as Markdown: https://tomesphere.com/paper/PMC12848858/full.md

## Figures

4 figures with captions in the complete paper: https://tomesphere.com/paper/PMC12848858/full.md

## References

11 references — full list in the complete paper: https://tomesphere.com/paper/PMC12848858/full.md

---
Source: https://tomesphere.com/paper/PMC12848858